BJP, Congress spar over caste census ahead of MP elections
BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh traded barbs on Wednesday after the governing party said that its rival was responsible for India's partition and it was now trying to create a divide among Hindus by raising the issue of caste survey. In its counter, the Congress sought to know if the BJP considers OBCs (Other Backward Classes) as Hindus. The Congress has welcomed the Bihar government's exercise to collect data on castes in the state and urged the Centre to carry out a similar exercise at the national level.
Addressing a rally at Beohari in MP on Tuesday, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced that his party would go for a caste survey if voted to power in MP. He termed it an «X-ray» of the country that will throw light on the condition of OBCs, Dalits and tribals who are «injured».
Polling for all 230 seats in the state will be held in a single phase on November 17.
State home minister Narottam Mishra sought to know why the Congress is talking about «caste census among Hindus and not about others».
«First, the Congress divided the country through partition. Those who did this were his (Rahul Gandhi's) ancestors.
Then, the same was done in Kashmir and an attempt was made in Punjab. Now they are trying to divide Hindus into castes. Why is there a talk of such division only among Hindus? Do it in other places (religions) also,» Mishra told reporters at the state BJP media centre here.
«Why does the Congress only raise questions over Ram Mandir and Mahakaleshwar,» he asked.
Asked about the BJP leader's allegations, MP Congress media department's spokesman KK Mishra said the ruling party should first clarify if it considers OBCs as Hindus or not.
The MP home minister should also clarify if he considers
